Summit and Lionsgate Hoping for Sixth Twilight Movie, Of Course

File under "Duh": Summit and new overlords Lionsgate say they'd totally be interested in making a sixth Twilight movie, y'know, if author Stephenie Meyer is into it. I get it! It's hard to pass up another shot at making hundreds of millions of dollars, not to mention fortunes in merchandising. And it's not like we didn't see this coming; with a first trailer for Breaking Dawn Part 2 set to be attached to Lionsgate's Hunger Games in theaters next month, the studio's pushing hard to make the most of its newfound YA synergy. How can it not try and keep the Twilight cash train rolling?
Well, for starters, there's a very good reason that a sixth, post-Breaking Dawn Pts. 1 & 2 sequel hasn't been developed yet: With the exception of a supplemental novella (The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner) written to coincide with events of the third film, Eclipse, Meyer moved on to other properties like The Host, which is also being made into a film. A fifth Twilight novel, Midnight Sun, was once set to retell Twilight from Edward's point of view, but Meyer herself spiked it when portions of her manuscript leaked online. (Meyer then posted it here.) Ever since then she's kind of seemed done with writing more Twilight, even if the door has never been closed completely.

And with Meyer so intrinsically linked to the film franchise, a sixth Twilight film would necessarily have to involve Meyer writing a fifth story (her fourth and final Twilight novel, Breaking Dawn, was split into a two-part film adaptation, the second of which hits screens this year). But even if Meyer agrees to a fifth book and sixth film, the motivation of continuing an otherwise concluded series might seem terribly transparent, and opportunistic, to a fanbase that adores the author as much for her vampire fantasy as for her openness with them over the years. Would Twilight fans eat up another chapter of Bella Swan's life? Without a doubt, especially given the events that conclude the series in Breaking Dawn. But would it somehow cheapen the billion dollar franchise and the dedicated fandom that drives it?

The question becomes less about the studios chasing sequels and more about how much Meyer is willing to risk signing off on, and how much her fans will care about the integrity of the franchise if it means they get another Twilight book and film. For many, I'm sure, the series could happily go on forever, manga-style, until the end of time. But as much as Lionsgate could conceivably milk Twilight for years and years to come, I'd like to think Twi-hards, who've had to defend themselves from global scrutiny for years and have been gleefully marketed to and squeezed of cash by savvy suits ever since 2008, would draw the line at some point.

It's a debate that J.K. Rowling faces, too, now that the Harry Potter saga has ended, on page and screen. But just as Daniel Radcliffe and Co. are moving on with their careers, so too do the Twilight kids seem ready to spread their wings. The end, it's seemed for a while, is welcome in many regards. Their time with the franchise has been good -- and has made stars of them all, considering that even previously unknown actors like Ashley Greene, for example, are now fronting their own films -- but you get the feeling even the actors might dread another go-round (not to mention the fact that some of them are aging past the point of believable onscreen immortality).

And so there are new franchises ready to follow the Twilight pattern of success, which brings us to The Hunger Games. Suzanne Collins only wrote three novels in her dystopian bestseller series, and yet, as confirmed last summer, Lionsgate plans on making four films from the series. Unlike Breaking Dawn, which contained a fairly obvious plot break at which the story could be divided, the third Hunger Games book, Mockingjay, seems less conducive to being split into two parts. I'd rather see it all go down in one part, personally, but here Lionsgate's thinking is more conspicuous.

Now that Summit has been slurped up by Lionsgate, I'll be even less surprised if that cash-grabbing thought process is applied to Twilight. (Incidentally, Breaking Dawn Part 1 hits DVD and Blu-ray tonight.) Let's just hope someone up there shows some restraint, sooner or later, whether it's the suits, the stars, or Stephenie Meyer herself.

Comments

The next cash cow is The Hunger Games the fact they are already planning 4 movies says it all. Meyer has moved on to producing Austenland and The Host pzy more attention to those instead of at Lionsgate trying to create I buzz out of nothing

Sadly, if Summit pumps em out the fans will show up w bells on. No matter how craptastic they become.
They shoulda quit after Eclipse!
The series had potential, but shabby screenwriting & subpar acting trounced it into dust!
Aaah well. I have hope for The Hunger Games trilogy.

"...how much her fans will care about the integrity of the franchise..."

This franchise never had any integrity to begin with. The main character is nothing more than an empty shell for the (supposed to be) teen girl reader to insert herself into a ridiculously idealized romance story. The whole thing is nothing more than vampire fanfic to begin with, so suggesting any of the parties involved need to be concerned with "integrity" is a farce of the highest order.

I think that there can be a somewhat cynical effect when people think about breaking books into two movies. For true fans of the series it means being able to get as much of the awesomeness into the books instead of have to sacrifice beloved parts of the boom for time. And I think mockingjay has a very clear part in it that works for separating them into four movies. It's spokes alert.............when peera comes back to district 13 after being rescued from the capital and attacks katniss that is a great ending to keep going on from.

There is still a lot of story left for that franchise. The Volturi are evil and killing innocent humans including children at an alarming rate. Bella has seen this and would want to stop it. Jane and Aro hate Bella and the Cullens are too powerful. The Volturi would want to get back at the Cullens by kidnapping Renesme. We should finally be able to see Jacob triumph and have the life and love he always wanted even though he probably would have to fight for her too, because the other half vampire, half human seem mighty interested in Renesme. But I'm afraid one of our favorite characters would have to die. It would have to be someone everyone cares about. To me that would be Seth. If that happened the Cullens and the Wolves would unite to rid the world of the Volturi. Can we please have Leah imprint on someone, poor kid no one wants her around.

Did Summit and Lionsgate pay you to tell all these lies? I thought writers actually checked facts. Summit had lost so much money that it couldn't pay their obligations. Lionsgate has had a terrible year and so far it doesn't look good for their future. The only people that were made stars were that weird british guy and the girl that looks like Olive Oil from Popeye. I mean the two worse actors are the only ones who got anything out of this! You wait I forsee Lionsgate having to close some of their businesses in the near future. Twi needs to die and rest in peace. The last book was awful I couldn't believe how painful it was to get through. Another one would tank and upset all the twi groupies. It will be interesting that in 15 years they could make the twi series again with real talent, and make a fortune again. The interesting part is when I think of Harry Potter being remade I can't see anyone topping any of the actors. In Twi I felt so sorry for everyone but Kristen and Robert. These two have major bad mojo going on and karma is going to make them pay for their lack of loyalty, faithfullness, disrespect and general low lifes that they are.

i loved the latest movie and would love to have another book in the series!!! i think it NEEDS another book, there are so many loose ends they need to tie up! and if stephanie cant do it in just one more book i dont care if she has to write 5 more books I WILL BUY THEM !!!!

how STUPID you dont need ANOTHER BOOK to make a movie...just continue making the damn movies! i'd like to see at least 3 more movies made! maybe a cronicle? how about a movie About jaspers life? before he was a vampire, when he became a vampire and then when he and alice found eachother? maybe show them in their travels leading up to when they get to the cullens home. GEEZE a fucking book? it would take eons for that to be written JUST DO THE MOVIES!

After just watching Breaking Dawn Part 2 I am more sure now that we need sixt Twilight Movie because
Breaking Dawn Part 2 was rushed and there was not so much of the love and romance and interaction between Bella Edward and Renesmae and we all want to see things from Edwards point of view and in this they the writers producers and directors could satisfy all the fans questions and end the series the way it should have because for me the second part of breaking dawn was finished once I saw CARALISE DIE SO PLEASE DO ANOTHER ONE AND DO IT JUSTICE FOR ALL OF US DIE HARD FANS

i was really hoping for a sixth and final twilight movie where bella's daughter is all grown up and she has a life of her own and she should go through the first movie some what (as in her meeting two guys and having to choose) i would totally pay like tons just to watch that movie

They showed jaspers human and into vampire life in Eclipse...but I agree...they need to at least have 3 more movies...bella is a vampire now...i would have loved to see more of her as she goes on in her vamp life...and the volturi needs to back off...renesemee was born...not bitten

There definitely NEEDS to be a sixth movie. At least end the fight!
You don't need another book! I think they need to show us what happens when
they face the Volturi. And then afterwards, end it with Bella's daughters teenage life, and who she falls in love with.
I'm sure that movie would get you BILLIONS of dollars. At least end the story! I bet thousands of souls died when they found out there wasn't a sixth movie. I know MINE did.

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